Cattle-guard.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

s. 0. KETTNER.

CATTLE GUARD. AYPLIOATIOK FILED JUNES, 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

S. G. KETTNER.

CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION rum) JUNE s. 1906.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

CATTLE-GUARD Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed June 6, 1906. Serial No. 320,458.

To all whom, it TILfI/Z/ 0072067711.

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. KETTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at oodboro, in the county of Oneida and State of isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle- Guards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cattle-guards.

One object of the invention is to provide a guard of such character that it will lie beneath the upper face of railroad-track rails in such manner as not to interfere with passing rolling-stock and be automatically operated immediately by pressure thereupon and automatically returned to its normal position as soon as relieved of pressure.

Another object resides in the provision of a simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient cattle-guard in the form of a gate adapted to be operated by pressure.

A still further object is to providea series of gates so constructed and arranged that all may be operated simultaneously by pressure in front of one or all of the gates.

With the above and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter referred to, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended clain In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in operative position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view with the gate down. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the invention. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a crank-shaft connecting the side platforms. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the crank-shaft of the intermediate gate, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the supporting-posts.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference characters 1 and 2 indicate railroad-rails, and 3 and 4 ties which upon the rails are mounted.

Disposed between the rails 1 and 2 is a gate 5, composed of a Ushaped outer frame whose legs 6 and 7 are mounted at their inner ends upon a fixed shaft 8, disposed in the eyes 9 at the upper ends of the posts 10 and 11 and the intermediate pair of posts 12, each post being formed, preferably, of a single piece of metal or other material and bent upon itself to form the aforesaid eyes and the feet 13, through which latter may be lhave not the intermediate strip 14;.

I passed suitable fastenings to secure the posts firmly upon the corresponding tie 3. Secured to the bight portion of-the U-shaped frame between the legs 6 and 7 is an intermediate strip 14, which is mounted upon the fixed shaft 8 between said pair of posts 12,

I and these legsand the intermediate strip all extend beyond the fixed shaft 8 and have alining perforations for a purpose presently explained. Between each leg 6 and 7 and the intermediate strip 14 is a series of bars 16, each bar having a foot 17 at each end, pierced by a suitable fastening 18, whereby it may be secured firmly in place. The edges of the frame, the intermediate strip, and the series of bars are serrated or toothed, as shown.

Mounted upon the tie 4 are end posts 20 and a pair of intermediate posts 21 of the same form as the aforesaid posts,with which they are all arranged in alinement. Mounted in the eyes of the posts 20 and 21 is a crank-shaft 22. This shaft has bends 23 and 24 at opposite ends, and the side bars 25 and 26 of a platform are secured at one of their ends to the respective bends, with their op- I posite ends loosely mounted upon the corresponding ends of the rock-shaft 27, mounted I in the aforesaid perforations 15 of the legs of the U-shaped frame of the l 25 and 26 overlapping the respective legs.

I An intermediate bar 28 comiects the intermediate crank-bend 29 of the'cranleshaft and is also loosely connected with the rockshaft 27, overlapping the intermediate strip 14 of the gate. Between the intermediate bar and'side bars of the platform is a series of parallel bars 30, which are connected with the shaft 27 and the three rods 31, 32, and

33, all the bars being spaced from each other by the spacing-collars 34; upon the rods 31,

32, and 33.

The gate and gate, the side bars platform lie normally between the rails; but as soon as a horse, cow, or other animal steps upon the platform the l latter falls upon the ties by reason of its connection with the crank and rock-shafts, causing the gate to be thrown up by reason of its peculiar mounting nection with the platform.

Disposed upon each side of the traclerails is a gate 36 and a platform 37, the gates 36 I being the same in construction and arrange ment as the first-named gate, save that they The legs 38 and 39 of the frame of each side gate and pivotal con- .The outer ends of the bars 42 are loosely mounted upon a short fixed shaft 41, mounted at the upper ends of the supporting-posts 42, disposed in alinementwith the posts first mentioned herein. The legs of the side gates are of the same length as the legs of the intermediate gate and are loosely connected beyond the fixed shaft 41 with the side bars 42" of the side platforms 37 and with the corresponding rock-shafts 27, the corresponding legs and bars overlapping. connect with the corresponding crank-bends 45 of the short crank-shafts 43, supported from the upper ends of the posts 44. Between the side bars of each side platform is a series of parallel bars 45, mounted upon the transverse rods 46 and spaced from one another by the spacing-collars 47.

In order that all of the gates may be thrown up simultaneously, 1 connect the side and intermediate platforms together, and I connect them in such manner as to pro duce substantially one rigid platform. For instance, the intermediate platform has a leg of a pair of U-shaped straps 48 detachably connected thereto upon each side, one near each end of each side bar, with its bight portion 49 extended beneath the rail and its opposite end 50 detachably connected to the inner side bar of the corresponding side platform.

All of the shafts and rods, with the exception of the crank-shafts, have their ends screw-threaded to receive the nuts 51, in View of which and the fact that the connections between the platforms are detachable all the parts may be readily taken apart and easily assembled.

I From the foregoing it will be understood 3 that pressure upon any one of the platforms will cause all the gates to be thrown across the track and that therefore when they are used an animal cannot pass from one field l to another or over bridges by way of the track-rails. i, The parts may be composed of any suitable material, and they need not necessarily l be formed exactly as shown and described, so l far as departure is not made from the scope and spirit of the appended claim. Further, I the platforms may be disconnected, if desired, and, in fact, one or both of the side gates need not necessarily be employed. -What is claimed is v A cattle-guard, comprising a series of fixed shafts, a gate mounted to swing upon each i shaft, a series of rock-shafts, one for each gate, a series of crank-shafts arranged opposite the second-mentioned shafts, a platform mounted to aline with each gate and sup- 1 ported upon the corresponding rock and crank shafts, the rock-shafts having permal nent connection with the corresponding gates and platforms and connections between the platforms, whereby all platforms and i gates will be operated upon movement of one 5 of the platforms, the upper outer faces of the platforms and gates being roughened.

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN C. KETTNER.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. REEVs, 1 SAM S. MILLER. 

